THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



B. Tropical Medicine 



Vol. XI MARCH, 1916 No. 2 



BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATIONS OF SWIMMING 

 POOLS IN MANILA ^ 



By Charles E. Gabel 

 (From the Biological Laboratory, Bureau of Science, Manila, P. I.) 



ONE TEXT FIGURE 

 INTRODUCTION 



While it is true that disease is not frequently acquired as a 

 result of infection while bathing, it is of paramount importance 

 that the water used for bathing be free from infectious material. 

 Bacteria such as Bacillus coli, B. typhosus, B. diphtheria, B. 

 dysenterise, Spirillum cholerx. Micrococcus gonorrhese, and the 

 various pathogenic organisms found in superficial lesions or 

 occasionally on the normal skin may be disseminated by this 

 means, as may be intestinal parasites belonging to the animal 

 kingdom. Bathers who fail to cleanse themselves properly be- 

 fore entering a pool or those who are carriers and hence dis- 

 seminators of pathogenic organisms may contaminate the water 

 in the tank. 



It has been demonstrated on numerous occasions not only 

 that water has thus been contaminated, but also that bathers 

 have been infected.^ 



Bacterial examinations made of bath water in the prison at 

 Kyoto ^ showed the presence of B. tuberculosis, B. tetani, gono- 



' Received for publication March 15, 1916. 



'Skutsch, Centralbl. f. Bakt. etc, (1892), 12, 309; Jager, Zeitschr. f. 

 Hyg. u. Infectionskrankh. (1892), 12, 525; Schultz, Bert. ktin. Wochenschr. 

 (1899), 36, 865; Fehr, Ibid. (1900), 37, 10. 



'Nakao Abe, Arch. f. Hyg. (1908), 65, 140. 



141844 ' 63 



